Restaurateur Jay Wellwood has had one setback in his mission to open a full-service seafood restuarant in Russellville, but he isn't giving up the fight.

After state Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) board Director Michael Langley denied Wellwood's application for a private club liquor license Oct. 17, Wellwood said he would appeal Langley's decision to the full board in hopes that they will grant the license he said he needs to offset food and other operational costs.

Whether the board will do so will be determined at 9:30 Wednesday morning during its November meeting, and local residents will also find out whether they will be feasting on shrimp and lobster, or nothing at all, on Aspen Lane come 2008.

Previously, Wellwood, who owns and operates Joey's Seafood Grill in Conway, indicated he will not construct the proposed 5,800-square-foot restaurant if he does not receive the license.

In the weeks since the Oct. 17 decision, and in the build-up to Wednesday's, both Wellwood and Pope County Sheriff Jay Winters, the most prominent opponent of private club liquor licensing in the area, spoke to The Courier about why they feel as they do about liquor licensing in Pope County, what action they've taken with regard to the issue in the past weeks and what they think about the other's position.

Winters, who previously said he will oppose any further private club liquor licensing in "dry" Pope County, said he is worried about the precedent in granting another private club license - in addition to the six that have previously been granted to other establishments - may set.

"My concern is that I think that legitimately the majority of the people are opposed to any more liquor permits, because without question if this is approved it will not be the last one," he said. "It will only be the beginning. It will set up I would guess a minimum of six more [private clubs] that I've heard want to come here."

"What I'm trying to avoid is a situation like Benton County where it's a dry county and they have somewhere in the vicinity of 100 liquor permits," Winters continued.

"One leads to two, and two leads to four, and all of a sudden the stores say 'Well, if the restaurants have it then why can't we have it?'" he added.

Although he opposes Wellwood's application for a liquor license, Winters said his opposition has nothing to do with a lack of desire to see a new eatery open its doors in the county.

"I am not opposed to his restaurant," Winters said. "I am opposed to his liquor permit. I'd be happy if he wanted to bring a dozen restaurants to Pope County, and the citizens that I have talked with are not opposed to his restaurant; they are only opposed to his liquor permit."

Wellwood, however, said he feels opposing the license and opposing the restaurant are tantamount to the same thing.

"We can't offer the quality of meals [we anticipate] and also be able to offer competitive wages without being able to offset those costs with the sale of these other items," Wellwood explained. "People are not willing to pay the higher prices necessary for us to be able to do those two [without the added revenue of alcohol sales]."

Winters countered by expressing discomfort with such a sentiment.

"I'm not downgrading anybody when I say this, but I'm trying to figure out what kind of picture we're sending," he said. "We're basically saying we can't function in this area without alcohol and I think that's a pretty poor standard for a good group of people to take that we're just going to fold up and blow away if we don't have alcohol in this area."

Wellwood, when asked about Winters' statement, said he felt as though it inaccurately represented the situation.

"This is a hospitality issue, and it's a business and economic issue," he said. "It's not that we're going to 'dry up and blow away,' it's that we want to thrive and conduct business and build a strong economic platform."

"Obviously, we are hopeful that the ABC will recognize that there is a public desire for another full-service dining environment," Wellwood continued. "At the same time, we're hopeful that the ABC will recognize that Russellville is in sore need of a place to conduct business. This location that we're going to be at is ideal to give business travelers, as well as our locals, a chance to enjoy a full-service restaurant without having to drive to another city, thereby keeping out tax dollars here and attracting business to our community."

Winters, who confirmed he contacted the ABC board following the October decision to request that Wellwood's appeal be postponed to the December meeting, also confirmed that he recently met with a group of people - about 15, he said - opposed to the permit to discuss "if anything could be done to stop this and any other permits."

Winters said the ABC informed him Wellwood would have to agree to the postponement, which Wellwood's attorney declined to do, saying they were happy with the November date.

"I would just question why is it that he felt the need to ask for a delay unless he intends to mount a large drive of opposition," Wellwood said about Winters' request.

"He spoke out in opposition [to the permit, via a letter he sent to the board] to begin with already," Wellwood continued. "Is that not sufficient, or is he planning on aiding and abetting other individuals in the county? And, if so, to what purpose?" Wellwood asked.

Winters has said on several occasions that he has and will continue to oppose private club licensing, and confirmed Friday that he will also oppose any private club license for John Q. Hammons' planned 60,000-square-foot convention center and hotel north of Interstate 40 on West Birch Street, might pursue.

Editor's note: Look for continuing coverage, including an update on the status of Wellwood's application, in Thursday's edition of The Courier.